Eyes of the Predator
by Findel
Summary: Lina is a patient at a mental hospital because of an odd illness. Every since then she has had dreams of predatory eyes chasing her. What happens when she meets the owner of those eyes?
1. Default Chapter

**Eyes of the Predator**

**Chapter 1**

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Warning: This is a bit of an odd fanfic for me. It was inspired by watching Red Dragon and my realizing that I haven't truly done any darker fics. Well now I am going to try my hand, I don't expect to be the master of doom and gloom like my idol Edger Allen Poe, but I hope it comes out good for a Halloween fic.

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She slowly combed her hair in front of the boring slab of glass provided as a mirror. As she finished she set down the dull white and partially broken comb. She sighed as she looked at her reflection in the small mirror. Her flame red hair flowing down her back as her blood red eyes surveyed her locks. To think a young, beautiful girl like her would be here, but she was here. She was the young woman known as Lina, and she was a full-time resident of the Sailoon psychiatric hospital. Why was she here you might ask, well that is a long story in and of its self.

When Lina was a child of about seven her parents were brutally murdered and she was taken under the care of her older sister. Her sister Luna while caring, was a bit harsh with the raising of Lina. She would constantly attack her with slugs when she misbehaved and in general wasn't the best mother figure Lina could ask for. None to say as soon as Lina was old enough she moved out and got a place of her own. That's when the trouble began.

She had constant ups and downs, never feeling the same from one day to the next. Her appetite was either grand or little at all, she slept like a rock or nothing all night. And, those nights she did get rest she was plagued by the same dreams. The dreams of two predatory eyes gleaming in the darkness, two deep dark pools stalked towards her in the darkness. Those two eyes that seemed so threatening and yet comforting at the same time. Those eyes always haunting her mind.

She had been to a psychiatrist many times and she was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder. Thought her medicine helped her she still continued to have fits of the disorder every once in a while. And, the dreams, the dreams never went away. She continue to have them and could not seem to rid herself of them. All this came to a head one night when she was mugged in a back alley. Instead of the mugging going how it should, the mugger was chased out of the alley with his throat slashed, and a berserk Lina chasing after him with a bloody, broken bottle.

Now she was here, in the ward after she plead guilty by way of insanity for the mugger's death. While she was a patient here she was one of the best patients. She was allowed access to all the places in the hospital that patients were allowed to visit. But, most of the day she just walked around the grounds feeling totally alone. No one here interested her at all. They were all just stuttering, crazy fools. Well, most of them were fools, then there were those like Xellos here. Xellos one of those too crafty and intelligent for his insane ways. But, she never truly talked to Xellos, he was continuously locked behind the vault room A. And then there was vault room B. Not one of the patients there knew who was in that room, or why the guard, Gourry, was posted around the clock. But, she didn't care, why should she be worried about the next loony in that room. None of them were different, all of them were the same, all of them wanted to slit her pretty little throat and watch her die. They all wanted to live out their little murderous fantasies. "Oh well, I guess that's what I have to deal with," Lina muttered as she went to walk the halls.

As Lina walked down the hall she spotted Gourry leaned against the wall next to the door to vault room B. She waved and said, "Hi, Gourry," as she stopped in front of him.

"Oh, hi Lina," Gourry said with a smile. He enjoyed talking to the young lady during the day. Even if he thought it was such a waste for a young girl like her to be kept here. She shouldn't be here with people like him, people that had true problems.

"Still guarding the mysterious loony behind door B," Lina asked teasingly.

Gourry's expression dropped slightly and replied, "I wouldn't joke about that Lina."

"Oh why not...It's not like who ever is in there can get out," Lina joked.

"I know but I still wouldn't joke about it. Even if the security is good what is held behind it can still be dangerous," Gourry stated.

"Yeah, yeah," Lina replied uninterestedly as she walked on and looked into vault room A. 

There was Xellos in his room reading a book and sipping on a cup of tea. He somehow knew he was being watched because he lowered his book and faced towards the window in the door. The strangest thing was he never opened his eyes, he just sat there and smiled at Lina without once cracking an eyelid. 'Well he didn't earn the nickname Blind Knife for nothing,' Lina mused as she said, "Morning Xellos."

"Morning Lina-chan," Xellos replied and slightly waved, never dropping that all knowing smirk on his face.

"You have fun Xellos, I'm going to be off," Lina remarked as she walked off.

"That's good Lina-chan," Xellos replied as he went back to his book while thinking, 'Better be careful my dear. Even a cornered wolf is still dangerous...Wouldn't you agree comrade,' towards vault room B.

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Lina walked to the cafeteria where she got in line for breakfast. As she waited she watched the head cook Sylphiel dash back and forth preparing to meals separately from the rest. They were on a cart one mark A and the other marked B. At the sight Lina mused, 'Looks like the biggest loonies eat the best here,' as she received her portion of food for cook Martina. She shrugged and walked to an empty table where she ate her food. She was about done when she heard, "Good Morning, Miss Lina," from behind.

She turned to see one of the administrators at the ward by the name of Amelia standing behind her with a smile on her face. "What do you want," Lina asked a bit miffed but not knowing why.

"There you go again...," Amelia said while jotting down a few notes on a clip board, "It's time for your tests," she continued as she lead the red-head to the testing area.

Once there Lina was sat in a chair and the head nurse came into the room, "Ready for your blood work Miss Inverse," asked the golden haired nurse as a few male nurses strapped Lina down to a bed.

"Does it look like it," Lina replied uninterested. She wasn't angry, she knew what normally happen to her at the sight of blood, so she understood why they strapped her down.

Lina closed her eyes when she felt the needle puncture her flesh and waited until Filia gave her the okay to look. "Well it seems your body is still rejecting the medicines. If we could figure out why then we could have a better chance of getting you out of here," Filia said a bit depressed.

"It's okay, I guess this is where I'm suppose to be," Lina answered lowly.

Before Filia could say anything there was a loud crash and all looked out towards the hall. Amelia came running in screaming, "Quick, he's going into another fit," before running back down the hall.

"I knew the bookcase in the room was a bad idea," Filia mumbled as she filled a syringe with a chemical.

Lina got out of the room and moved down the hall. She had heard that the resident in vault room B had fits and that when it did happen he was brought out so he couldn't hurt himself. She moved back into the halls until she found a little alcove to where she could watch. She saw three out guards run up, one of which handed Gourry a shotgun, and positioned an upright stretcher harness. The door was unlocked when Filia got behind Gourry and he proceeded in while shouting, "Hands against the wall and no swift movements!"

After a few moments the harness was wheeled in and Lina heard many a mechanical restrain being tighten and used. Soon the harness was wheeled out with a young man in it. His jaws had restrains on as his arms and legs where kept still by straight jacket and straps. His light lavender hair feel over his right eye as his left eye looked around surveying what was outside the cell. The sapphire eye soon locked on the ruby eyed Lina and stayed in place, not moving from the young woman. Lina didn't move, she was afraid and at the same time entranced by that eye. It seemed to convey intelligence beyond anyone in the ward, but at the same time betrayed it's owners unstableness. Before she could do anything else he was carted away to another cell while the vault was cleaned up. She was about to ask herself something when she heard Amelia say, "Dr. Zelgadis Greywords," from right beside her.

"He's...He's a doctor," Lina asked in shock.

"Well, he once was...before he dug too deep," Amelia replied with an air of neutrality.

"What do you mean too deep," Lina asked as she became interested in the story of the young doctor.

"He was a brilliant young man...showed a lot of promise in his field of forensic psychology. But, apparently he delved too deep into the mind of the killer. The FBI came to him with a new case on a what seemed to be a butcher serial killer. Doctor Greywords gave them a profile but it didn't seem to fit. Soon the FBI agent got suspicious and went back to the doctor to redo the profile...," Amelia trailed off suddenly. 

"What happened," Lina asked, slightly enraptured with the tale. 

"The FBI agent soon discovered that Doctor Greywords was the killer and that the parts missing from the victims were all used in forms of cooking," Amelia turned slightly pale at the thought. 

"You mean...He's a cannibal," Lina asked while gripping the wall for balance while thinking, 'Here I was making jokes and the guy probably now sees me as his next meal.' 

"Yes, regrettably. Some say he just tried to hard to understand the criminal mind and became one. Others say he was just a victim of the genius' curse," Amelia finished as she walked towards the holding cell. 

'Genius' curse?? Oh, wait, the idea that for genius to be the way they are they usually wind up being crazy,' Lina summarized in her mind as she walked after Amelia. 

"You probably just need to go Lina, we have a lot to do," Amelia said without looking back at the red head. 

Lina let out a huff as she walked past the holding cell, However, she did notice that sapphire eye watching her as she walked past the door. 

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Lina sat in the reading room going through a newspaper trying to catch up with what she was missing in the outside world. But, she couldn't help but quickly look around her when any sound was made. She could still see Doctor Greyword's eyes when she closed her eyes. The predatory gleam in them still haunted her to the depths of her being. And, to say she was on edge was a bit of an understatement. As she was getting to the lifestyle section she heard the door open and one of the attendants saying, "Ok take it slow. Time for Mr. Greyword's work out," the last bit came out sarcastically.

Lina turned around and looked at Zelgadis being wheeled through the room on the same harness towards the gym area. She noticed the eye glaring at the attendant who was talking. But, that eye soon moved, and seemed to seek her out. It locked on to her and that same predatory look that it held earlier that day. She lowered herself in the chair hoping he'd would look away, but his eye never left her until he was out the other door. She knew she should have stayed still, to just stay in her seat, but she found herself following them down the hall towards the gym. While asking herself, "Why can't I just keep away from things like this?"

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Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from **The Slayers** do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

Feedback is requested, please send all comments to findelhe@hotmail.com

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	2. Eyes of the Predator: Chapter 2

**Eyes of the Predator**

**Chapter 2**

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Lina peeked through the small windows in the doors to one of the segregated gym areas in the hospital. She saw Dr. Greywords, still in his straight jacket, hooked to a harness that allow him to walk in a oval track but not get to far. Also there were two guards posted to keep him from running as well. One was perched up in a loft near the roof and the other, Gourry, on the ground near the doors. As Dr. Greywords rounded the track he glanced at the doors and his eyes locked on Lina. Lina ducked behind the door as the eyes came to her. After a moment she looked back up and his eyes were still on her. She didn't hide this time. She returned his looks as he continued to walk but never allowed his eyes to wander from her. She saw that look and she knew he was wondering what it would be like to watch her die. They all gave her that look, that look that a predator gives its prey, but there was something different about his look. Though it had a predator glare under it was a look of odd curiosity. As the staring match continued Lina's view was blocked when Gourry walked in front of the window and looked down at her. She backed away from the door as he walked through and asked, "Lina what do you think you're doing?" 

"I was just watching I didn't think it would cause any trouble," Lina explained while backing away from Gourry. 

Before Gourry could reply he heard the other guard say, "Keep walking Greywords," and cringed. 'He better be glad that Dr. Greywords will never get out of here,' Gourry thought as he looked at Lina and said, "Well if you're going to watch then you might as well introduce yourself." 

"What!? What do you mean introduce myself? Won't that just entice him to attack me even more," Lina asked somewhat panicked. 

"No, Dr. Greywords is quite the gentleman as long as you are courteous," Gourry explain as he ushered Lina in the door. 

Gourry looked up at the other guard and said, "Take a break I've got it from here." 

The other guard shrugged and walked out of the door connected to the loft. After he left Gourry turned to Zelgadis and said, "Sorry for my fellow guard's rudeness Dr. Greywords." 

"You don't need to make apologies unless it is for yourself Gourry," Zelgadis answered in a low and soft tenor voice. 

He soon turned his gaze towards Lina and walked forward until the harness stopped him. He then smiled and asked, "Who's your friend Gourry? I don't believe we have been introduced." 

"This is Lina Inverse she's here because," Gourry was cut off by Zelgadis when he said, "Don't I prefer to see how well I do." 

"What do you mean how well you do," Lina asked coming from behind Gourry to look at Zelgadis. 

Zelgadis smirked and said, "Well judging from the bags under your eyes I would have to say you don't sleep well because you suffer form insomnia extending from either somniphobia or depressive tendencies that extend form either a childhood trauma or a more recent emotional event," at the end of his evaluation his eyes took on a gleam of joy. 

Lina was stunned into silence. She hadn't even hinted at anything and yet he almost fully diagnosed her in a matter of minutes. He had singled out every possibility and with that look in his eyes Lina could tell even if he knew he was insane he still loved testing himself on others. After a moment she could only stutter out, "How...How did you know?" 

"Well this is a mental ward so you are here because of a mental problem. And see as how this place doesn't treat just pure insomnia I would have to guess at the problems that cause loss of sleep. The two most usual one's are somniphobia, which is the fear of sleep, and depression or bi-polar problems which can cause fits of not sleeping correctly," Zelgadis answered quickly with that same glee in his eyes.

"Well you are as good as Amelia said you were Dr. Greywords," Lina commented remembering the courtesy that Gourry said to use in his presence.

"Miss Amelia is a bright girl but she has no place in trying to diagnose and treat me," Zelgadis replied with some annoyance in his voice.

"Well I guess I should let you continue your exercises," Lina replied changing the subject, "See you later Dr. Greywords. Bye Gourry," and then walked out the doors.

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Lina sat in the cafeteria eating her dinner as she watched Sylphiel prepare the meals for Xellos and Dr. Greywords. She lifted another fork full of pasta into her mouth as she thought, 'Well Doctor Greywords can't complain that Sylphiel doesn't treat him well.' Lina soon finished her meal and gave back the plate to the staff. She then walked out of the cafeteria unaware that she was being followed. She got to the vaults and stopped for a second she looked towards the doors for a moment before she heard something behind her. As she turned she was attacked and tackled to the ground by a disheveled patient. He held a piece of broken glass to her throat and said, "I've got you now you arrogant little cunt. I see you walking around here thinking you're better than all of us but you're not. Now I'll bring you down off of your high horse," as his free hand went to her jeans and began to pull.

As he was about to pull her jeans down there was a loud clang right next to them. The patient stopped and looked up to see two cold sapphire eyes glaring at him. He smiled arrogantly and said, "That door will stop you where you stand so you can't stop me from getting what I want," as he turned to finish stripping Lina of her jeans.

As the man was about to lower Lina panties he heard a soft, yet sinister, tenor whisper through the door vent, "What's the matter? Did mommy touch you to much? Did she fondle you even though you asked her to stop?"

The man stopped and turned towards the youth and shouted, "Shut up! I don't have to listen to you...you snot nosed punk. I do what I want."

"Yes, but it seemed you take out your sexual frustration by raping women. Were you held down and molested by the cheerleading squad in high school? Or, is it you're just so not endowed that you have to rape women to get your rocks off," Zelgadis continued with his mental baiting.

"I'll kill you...you son of a bitch," shouted the man as tears where forming in his eyes from the point Zelgadis was making.

With the man distracted Lina got her jeans back on and stood up. She then set herself and shouted, "Worry about me you asshole!"

Before the man knew what hit him Lina assaulted him with a flurry of hits, kicks, and knees as her darker side came out. She continued to beat the man senseless as Zelgadis watched on with a look of avid glee. Lina stopped and picked up the piece of glass and started to walk towards the man. She stopped above him and didn't move. She was fighting with herself to not repeat the alleyway mugging. As she was having her mental war a voice intruded into her thoughts, "Do it Lina. He deserves it. Let yourself go, let your other side out. Become free; get rid of those walls you have erected and be true to your nature."

She turned and looked to see Zelgadis looking at her with anticipation on all his features. He looked at her with a look of caring. The predatory gaze was gone and he seemed to look at he with a new light. He coaxed her again saying, "You don't have to be afraid of yourself...just be you."

Lina dropped the glass and looked at him and said, "I'm sorry Doctor Greywords but I can't do that," as she ran down the hall towards her room.

She ran into her room and locked the door behind her. She went into the far corner and crumpled into a ball. She rested her chin on her knees as she rocked back and forth as tears began running from her eyes. As she continued she kept chanting lowly, "I'm not a murderer."

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The next morning Gourry and Amelia burst into Lina's room to find her in the same position she was the night before. Amelia quickly ran over to Lina and checked her. "She okay just a little shaken up."

As Amelia got up from in front of Lina she heard the young girl mumble, "Not a murderer..."

Amelia backed up a bit and gasped as she thought, 'So it was Lina that did that in the hall. I thought for sure Doctor Greywords was just pulling my leg but I guess he wasn't lying.' She walked out of the room saying to Gourry, "Bring her to me when she wakes up."

Gourry frowned as he looked at the young girl and then said, "Okay...but I'm sure there's good reason why she did it."

"Either way I can't let her off too easy or the rest of the patients will complain...and we don't need that especially if Xellos or Doctor Greywords decide to make trouble out of the no trouble outcome," Amelia replied somewhat coldly as she walked down the hall.

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Lina sat in Amelia's office waiting for the administrator to stop typing and say something. She looked around the office and noticed it to be absurdly orderly. All the files were alphabetized, the papers were stacked perfectly, and all her picture frames were perfectly leveled and the same space apart. Lina looked back to Amelia when she didn't hear any typing to see the small administrator staring at her. "Miss Lina where you responsible for the extreme beating received by a patient Madison last night?"

Lina hung her head and said, "Yes, I did...but the guy was trying to rape me."

"We'll need a reliable source to prove that," Amelia said while looking at Lina.

"What! You don't believe my word? Why would I lie about something like this," asked while standing to stare Amelia down.

"That's why...you have a violent streak in you and we don't know if he just said something wrong and you snapped or if he really did try to rape you," Amelia fired back coldly.

Lina sat down and said, "Ask Doctor Greywords...he saw the whole thing."

"You think we'd believe that liar...he'd do anything to get a rise out of people and stir up trouble," Amelia continued to shoot Lina's arguments down.

"Fine then do whatever you want! I'm leaving," Lina shouted and started to stomp out of Amelia's office.

Amelia then yelled, "Get her!"

Before Lina could react she was jumped by two burly guards and forced down to the ground. They soon picked her up and strapped her into a straight jacket and moved her down the hall with Amelia behind them. "What the hell is going on," Lina screamed as she tried to struggle against the guards but wasn't able to get away.

She was soon tossed into a cell and the door was closed and locked behind her. Lina shoulder checked the door while yelling, "I'll get you for this you little conniving bitch...I'll make sure pay if it's the last thing I do."

All she heard was Amelia walking down the hall not paying any attention to her threats. Lina then when to the far corner and crumpled up into a ball as she began to cry. 'Why me,' she thought as the tears continued to flow.

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From down the hall a bit the two cold eyes of Dr. Greywords watched Amelia walked down the hall. His predatory gaze followed the young administrator as she disappeared down the hall. He then turned and looked at the cell Lina was being held in and thought, 'Don't worry my dear I promise she will pay for this.'

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Disclaimer: Any characters or ideas from **The Slayers** do not belong to me. I am not selling this material, just writing for the heck of it as I go.

Feedback is requested, please send all comments to findelhe@hotmail.com

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